Fuel
Fuel is any material that is capable of releasing energy when its chemical structure is changed or converted.
In
chemistry and the field of
fire safety, anything that is capable of
burning is called
fuel.
Fuel stores
energy in its chemical structure. When the chemical structure of the fuel changes, this
chemical energy is converted into other forms and released. There are many ways to express and compare the amounts of energy stored in fuel. For example, a
fuel value is used to quantify fuel's
potential energy.
All
carbon-based life formsâ€"from
microorganisms to
animals and
humansâ€"depend on and use fuels as their source of energy. Their bodies posess a natural mechanism called
metabolism to convert energy stored in
food. Additionally, humans employ a variety of techniques to convert one form of energy into another, producing usable energy for purposes that go far beyond energy needs of a
human body. The application of energy released from fuels ranges from
heat to
cooking and from powering
weapons to
propulsion and generation of
electricity. The method of conversion used for a particular type of fuel depends on the molecular structure of the fuel. For example, the most efficient method for releasing energy from
fossil fuels is by burning them in
oxygen. In this process known as
combustion, fuel reacts with
oxygen and releases energy as
heat. Humans have also mastered to extract energy from an
atom by subjecting
fissile materials to
nuclear reaction.
Theoretically any fuel can be used as a source of energy. However, it is economically practical to use only those fuels that contain large amounts of easily extractable energy. Luckily, there are many different types of fuel that can be obtained and prepared for consumption relatively inexpensively.
Food
Carbohydrates,
fats, and
proteins, derived from food, are the fuels for biological systems. For instance, glucose (a simple carbohydrate) combines with oxygen to produce water, carbon-dioxide, and energy. In the bodies of most animals, the released energy is used by the
muscles.
Fossil fuel
Solid fuels
Solid fuels include
coal,
wood and
peat. All these types of fuel are combustible (they create fire and heat). Coal was burnt by
steam trains to heat water into steam to move parts and provide power. Peat and wood are mainly used for domestic and industrial heating, though peat has been used for
power generation, and wood-burning steam
locomotives were common in times past. Steam power is becoming more and more desirable as oil and gas supplies begin to run out, given the wide number of possible things that can
burn to heat water.
Liquid and gaseous fuels
Non-solid fuels include
alkanes such as
petroleum and
gas (both fuel types have myriad varieties including
petrol (gasoline) and
natural gas). The former is widely used in the
internal combustion engine while both are used in power generation.
Nuclear fuel
In a
nuclear reaction a radioactive fuel will undergo
fission. This provides a useful source of
energy without combustion. Also, in
stars (and our sun),
hydrogen (a gas) is the fuel for the
nuclear fusion.
July 2006: By lifting restrictions on India's ability to buy
nuclear technology and fuel from abroad,
America will be helping it out of a
uranium squeeze: its usable stocks of the enriched stuff (lower enriched for power generation, higher for weapons) have been dwindling fast.
Other types of fuel
 |
Hydrogen Gas in a Flask (it is colourless). |
Hydrogen also features as an upcoming fuel for automobiles with
Oxygen in the
Fuel Cell. This involves a reaction where the hydrogen and oxygen react to produce water (H
2O) and electrical energy, however most of the energy comes from turning hydrogen into electrons which is electricity and protons using platinum as a catalyst, which, then can supply an electrical motor in order to run a car (or a variety of other uses). In this reaction the
chemical energy of the chemicals is converted into
electrical energy due to
redox.
Biofuel can be made from
Biomass, and can create
Alcohol fuel and
Biodiesel. The
biomass is plant matter from plants such as
hemp,
maize, and
sugarcane.
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List of energy topics*
Alternative fuels*
Solid fuel*
Liquid fuels*
Gas fuel*
Alcohol fuel*
Biomass*
Biofuel*
Fuel oil*
Fuel poverty*
Fossil fuel*
Propellant*
Combustion*
Hydrocarbon*
Oxidation*
Alternative Fuels - Beginner's tutorial on using alternative fuels in a diesel engine
